thought my heart would break; but I
bore my loss with wonderful equanimity."

"Yes; but then you are a wonderful woman," observed Mrs Jones, who had
long since become weary of her neighbour's loquacity, and did not
observe that the Miss Diceys showed any want of feeling at the loss they
had suffered.

Although at first unwilling to encounter their fellow-passengers, the
two poor girls, feeling the importance of taking the fresh air, used to
come on deck at night, where they would stand, their hands clasped
together, watching the beautiful constellations, and gazing over the
dark ocean which they believed to be their beloved brother's grave. The
other passengers, respecting their grief, kept aloof from them, and
allowed them the part of the deck they chose to themselves. The old
captain and Mr Paget were the only people who spoke to them on such
occasions, and then only to advise them to retire to their cabins, when
the late hour made it desirable. Sometimes, notwithstanding this, Emily
lingered, and Mr Paget, finding that he was not intruding on her
sorrows, stood by her side, offering such subjects of consolation as he
thought likely to produce a good impression upon her mind. Emily felt
very grateful to him, and was thankful that she and her sister had a
friend on whose calm judgment and sympathy they could so thoroughly
rely.

The "Crusader" sailed on towards the east before a steady breeze. Often
for days together not a sheet nor tack was started; the crew had seldom
to go aloft, except to serve some of the rigging, or to keep the usual
lookout.

Although the sickness on board did not increase, the captain still
considered it necessary to put into Simon's Bay for water. One fine
calm morning, the passengers were scattered about in groups on deck, the
women belonging to the steerage attending to various domestic concerns,
the mothers dressing and nursing their children, the girls working or
pretending to work with their needles. Three or four of the men were
helping the cooks, some were mending their shoes, others were tailoring,
a few of both sexes were reading, a greater number arguing some knotty
point, or smoking their pipes, and several were sitting listlessly with
their hands between their knees, already wishing that the voyage was
over, and that they were once more engaged in the occupations to which
they had been accustomed. The crew were all busy in their various
duties about the ship. The capt